Maintenance and Repairs

September 3, 2024 Published by South Alberta Chapter - By Emma Bechtel

Create The Illusion Of Space With Flooring

From the Summer 2024 issue of the CCI South Alberta CCI Review

Creating the illusion of a more spacious room is a clever way to enhance the aesthetic, and functional aspects of a smaller space. There are many ways to style your condominium to make it seem larger, using vertical space, incorporating mirrors, choosing multi-functional furniture, adding light window treatments, avoiding clutter, and choosing light colours for your decor. These design techniques work by tricking the eye into perceiving a space as larger than it really is.

Did you know that your flooring choices can have this same impact?

With thoughtful design strategies your condominium can become a more spacious and inviting area. Here are some of the qualities that we look for when helping our clients to select their flooring, with the goal of maximising their space.

1. Transitions between flooring types can draw attention to the perimeter of the space making it feel smaller. Consider choosing one type of flooring throughout the primary areas of your unit to achieve a unified appearance and give the impression of a larger, seamless, and continuous space.

2. Ensure that your flooring is installed parallel to your longest wall to draw the eye along the length of your space. If you love a herringbone pattern, take care to install it perpendicular to your longest wall as this pattern will draw the eye along the diagonal lines.

3. Avoid busy patterns, and small tiles. While beautiful, the detailed pattern and grout lines surrounding each tile will draw the eye downward thereby making the space feel more compact. The larger and less intricate the floor covering the larger a room will look, opt for long planks, wide planks, or large format tile, with subtle patterns and texture.

If you love the look of tile, consider Luxury Vinyl Tile as an option, they are arguably more durable than traditional porcelain tile and have the bonus of not requiring grout lines, creating a seamless look.

4. Pay attention to the edges of your flooring material. Whilst detailed edges look beautiful, when installed throughout a space if the bevel is wide or painted, it can contrast with the rest of the plank, drawing attention to each individual plank in the same manner as grout encompasses a tile. For some this isn’t their favourite look, for others it’s preferred, what you as a consumer needs to do is think about which style you like and ask your professional how to incorporate it into the final design.

There are three different edge finishes available for click flooring products; Painted Bevel, Square Edge or Pillowed Edge. Provenza Floors’ New Wave collection is a great example of a pillowed edge, providing soft definition between planks without a stark contrast in colour.

5. Opting for lighter hues can significantly enhance the brightness and openness of your space. These shades have the natural ability to reflect more light, contributing to an atmosphere that feels both light and airy.

In essence, by selecting a cohesive flooring that flows seamlessly throughout your living space, and aligning long planks, or large tiles, to guide the eye along the length of a room and opting for simpler designs, you can create the illusion of a more expansive space. Furthermore, selecting lighter shades will amplify this effect, bathing your home in a bright and airy ambiance that feels inviting and open.

Remember, the foundation of any great design starts from the ground up, so choose your flooring wisely to make the most of your space.

Emma Bechtel
Southern Comfort Flooring Ltd